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Why Bernard Scott Isn't Worth A Waiver Wire Add

Cedric Benson's suspension is finally here, so you should pick up Bernard Scott, right? Wrong.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson has finally been handed down his suspension and it has gone from three games down to just this week’s game at Seattle.

Weeks ago, the suspension was supposed to be three games...and it was supposed to commence weeks ago as well. That left fantasy owners either scrambling to potentially replace Benson in their lineups with Bernard Scott or other fantasy owners simply picking up Scott to bogart the back up for themselves.

My advice to both types of owners: just leave it be.

Why do we think when a starting running back goes out that his back up will just slide right in and have fantasy value himself? He's a back up for a reason.

And particularly in the Bengals' case, neither the starter nor back ups have done anything of significance this season. Benson has 62.7 fantasy points through six games — 10.45 points per game. Scott has barely sniffed any action — he has 18.3 fantasy points total over six games — this season and is not seen as an every-down back by his team to begin with.

So let other fantasy owners add and play Bernard Scott to their lineups this week against a Seattle team No. 11 in the NFL against the run and seventh best against fantasy running backs having allowed just four scores and no back to reach 100 yards. Rashard Mendenhall (13.8), Isaac Reedman (11.5) and Michael Turner (20.8) all reached double digits thanks to touchdowns, not yards as all three were held to 70 yards or less. It took Montario Hardesty 33 carries for Montario Hardesty to reach 95 yards on Sunday. He added two catches for 27 yards.

Benson is 13th in the league in rushing yards per game with (76.3) despite being No. 5 in attempts at 19.5. He has just two touchdowns and five catches for 24 yards leaves him as the 22nd-best fantasy running back in the Athlon format through six weeks.

When we first thought the suspension was going to happen — after Week 3 — Scott had 23 yards, no catches and with the addition of Brandon Tate, was no longer part of the return game. In the three games following, Scott’s rushed 22 times for 62 yards (3.1 YPC) with one score, and added five catches for 13 yards after having no catches the first three weeks.

For a Bengals team that is 22nd in the league in total offense at 326.5 yards per game, and 21st in rushing offense (105.3 YPG), I find it hard to believe Scott is the one that will get that turned around in a week. He averaged 6.1 and 4.5 touches per game his first two seasons. This season, under new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, Scott is averaging 4.5 touches.

Add all this in with the fact that Brian Leonard is still there, probably in a time share to make up for the loss of Benson, and the emergence of receivers A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson and tight end Jermaine Gresham, where will Scott fit in for just one week?

Bottom line: Don't waste your time with Scott if the Bengals aren't making time for him themselves.